Granat Net Clogging Issue

[FST3000]

Hello,
  I am not sure if this is just what happens but I have been experiencing a lot of clogging with this sandpaper and did not know if anyone had any tips to help me out.

As you can see in the picture I use the 80x133 Garnet Net which I use with the Festool hand sanding block with dust extraction on full suction. I am sanding a latex primer and it gums up significantly and I have also had clogging issues while sanding other paint.

I also use Mirka Abranet discs with my ETS 125 sander and those gum up but not as bad.

Is there any way to slow down the clogging process or clean the mesh so I can get a longer use out of the paper? Thank you for any help.

 

[Packard]

I don’t use that product, but I find a lot of my sandpapers are water resistant and the clogging rinses out.  A strong stream of hot water seems to work best.  I have also soaked the paper in soapy (Dawn dish detergent) water and then rinsed a few hours later.  Depending on what I am sanding, the soap can help a lot or not at all.

 

[squall_line]

Are you using the interface pad that is designed/required to be used with net-style papers?

 

[FST3000]

That is a good idea about cleaning them with water, I will have to try that. Not that I will want to do that every time but even getting a few more uses out a sheet would be great.

and yes, I am using the interface pad for both the electric and hand sander.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Many paints, particularly latex, get sticky when heated by friction/abrasion so the hot little particles stick to to whatever and especially to themselves. Some primers are readily sand-able but others are not.

The best strategy is to minimize heating the paint by moving the sander around the area quickly. If you have a high spot don’t dwell on it just note it’s location and come back to it briefly a minute or so later.

You can also reduce the sander speed and/or suction.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Latex is always tough to sand. It is soft and rubbery, so it tears, clumps, and melts if you get it too warm.
The first recommendation that I always give with clogging issues is to go with a more course grit.

 

[woodferret]

Just cleaning... although I've taken to using a carbide scraper to remove the latex from the area in question first nowadays.  That or use an old std granat paper as holy sacrifice.

 

[James Carriere]

I find that lowering the sanding speed to 1 or 2 helps significantly.  Heat is the issue as mentioned previously.  There are several latex primers on the market that are intended to be sanded and are used frequently for cabinetry and millwork.  Benjamin Moore makes a new primer to replace the now defunct Advance primer called Fast Sanding Primer.  It is engineered for sanding and tends to powder when sanding as opposed to clumping up.  C2 also make a sandable primer labeled as such.  If you have a fair amount to do I would change primers.

 

[semenza]

I have not used any of the net type abrasives.  I wonder if in the case of sanding latex paint that maybe the mesh is not as good as regular paper? Is it possible that the mesh provides a lot of spaces for paint to get stuck?

Seth

 

[bidn]

In my experience, there is more sticking clogging with traditional paper than with nets (Abranet, Cubitron II, Granat net).
Some paints and finishes do melt with heat (caused by the fiction of the sanding abrasive), and remain stuck to the abrasive after the sanding. I don't succeed in removing it from the abrasive, maybe I should try with a heat gun.

For cases of a melting, sticking finish, I am aware of three methods:

1. Starting with very coarse grain, e.g. 40 (this will create deep marks! which will need to be removed), and going slowly to higher grain, so as to limit the waste of the abrasive: you may have to add intermediate grains which you don't normally use. I normally do 80 → 120 → 180 → 240 → 320. Now with clogging, melting finish I might do instead 40 → 60 → 80 → 100 → 120 →150 → 180 and stop here...

2 Taking out first most of the finish with a heat gun (and very delicate scrapping), you will waste much less abrasive.

3 Using a chemical instead of a heat gun. I use soda (NaOH), it will burn most plastics ( need a metal bucket) and get through your clothes, burn the skin..., so I put a full body chemically protective suit but I get all sweaty...

 

[FST3000]

Thank you everyone for the replies all this information is really helpful.

I tried soaking with soap and blasting with some water and the few I tried washed out pretty good. Definitely not something I want to do a lot but is helpful in a pinch.

The speed/heat thing was on my mind but found it odd that the hand block sander that can only go as fast as I am moving my arm seems to clog more than the discs I use on my orbit sander which admittedly I probably do run too fast at times.

I also did not know about the new Benjamin Moore primer, I am 100% going to try it out thanks for the heads up!

 

[luvmytoolz]

I bought some of the Festool Granat net, and they are sensational sanding discs. Lasts ages and cuts really well, doesn't clog very easily from my use on mdf, raw timber, and varnished timber. It works out pretty good value overall. I've heard others really praise the 3M Cubitron so I plan to get some of that to try one time.